Words on the street

The dawn stretches across the horizon,
Voices break the overnight silence,
In the early light, across land so vast,
A woman is harvesting lemongrass.

Why does she need that? Where will it go?
I can only ponder. Will I ever know?
In the hours to come, maybe I will,
When it's time to let the next hunger unfurl.

When a delightful aroma conjures my very soul,
To a stall on a hilltop, twenty years old,
Where chicken rendang was gobbled down fast,
As I relived the flavours of garlic and lemongrass.

Syair membuat nasi lemak

Pastikan tua nyiur dikaut
Diperah kuat isi diparut
Cecair putih terliur perut
Santan nan lemak gian melarut

Hidulah harum pilihlah segar
Sang pandan wangi bau memekar
Awaslah daun jangan tertukar
Elakkan pilih lalang belukar

Ke dalam periuk beras tempatan
Bersama pandan juga sang santan
Pastikan tepat ukur sukatan
Tanak meriah untuk santapan

Pantun sarapan pagi

Makan di dulang berlauk keli,
Secawan tebu di atas talam;
Bunga telang pewarna asli
Nasi kerabu lengkap berulam.

Sangai beras ikan pekasam,
Kain delamak di tepi loyang;
Tepung beras bancuhan laksam, 
Berkuah lemak ikan selayang.

Jalan berlenggang di Pekan Limbang,
Mata mengenyit di hujung lensa;
Ikan singgang diet seimbang,
Lengkuas kunyit pelengkap rasa.

Bahulu kemboja

Bunga kenanga harum baunya
Ditiup angin di senja kala
Lemak dan manis bahulu kemboja
Sungguh lazat membangkit selera

Words on the street

Berseri rupa dalam majlis,
Kain suasa dipakai emak;
Santan kelapa sambal bilis,
Pemikat rasa nasi lemak.

Words on the street

Foraging on the street
And I brought by the birds' chirps to a roadside stall
Opened the spiky green leaves
Calling for taste buds just around the corner
Anchovies swam cheerfully in the dark brown sambal
Rice with the colour of pandan leaves lying aside quietly
Early morning is the strong fragrance of coconut and the bustling streets
These are the words on the street
I just turned all of these into the spice of my poetry

Suasana pulau

Hitam kuali merah bara,
Harum sungguh bau wok hei.
Pasar pagi huru hara,
Auntie uncle duduk lim teh.

Rentas jambatan jauh ke pulau,

Singgah di bawah pokok pinang.

Kuey teow hanya lengkap kalau,

Ada taugeh kerang dan udang.

Treat

Under the voluminous angsana
Where bicycles lean,
Abang Pozi’s stall is set.

Empty stools scatter around
Formica tables wet with water trails
Like sweat.

Sparrows dart into the shade.
‘Cendol satu, bang,’ I say—
A gust of hot wind rustles the plastic bags.

He nods, then squints.
His vat of gula melaka syrup ablaze,
Mirroring the sun’s rays.

Pantun Laksa Utara Habaq Hang!❤️🇲🇾